Truter showers Riveiro with praises before Nedbank Cup final showdown.

                 Image: iDiskiTv

Brandon Truter knows how to talk a good game before a big game.

The Sekhukhune United coach has showered his Orlando Pirates counterpart, Jose Riveiro with sweet praises ahead of the two sides Nedbank Cup final clash on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

If anything, Riveiro should be blushing from Truter's praises.

Nonetheless, none of what Truter says about the Spanish tactician is lie.

Orlando Pirates play some attractive attacking football, and slowly but surely, one can see the identity that Riveiro is instilling in the team.

A second place finish, which takes Pirates to the CAF Champions League, an MTN8 trophy in the bag, and a Nedbank Cup final, which could mean another trophy loading, means Riveiro deserves all the praises he can get, and Truter is not stingy with them.

"Jose has done fantastically well this season," he said as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/nedbank-cup/riveiro-improves-sa-football-truter/

"In terms of the strides that he made at the club, at Pirates, creating an identity as well.

"This is the type of coaches we should be attracting to the PSL, in terms of adding value to the product, in terms of helping our development in South Africa as a country where football is going.

"I think Pirates at this stage has a clear identity of attractive, attacking football and that’s how you want football to be played in the end of the day.

"That identity is clear, also with the striker’s coach and coach Mandla [Ncikazi] as well."

ALSO READ: Mailula thought they were going to extra-time against Wydad:http://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/i-thought-are-we-going-to-extra-time.html

Perhaps, one of the biggest truths in Truter's praise of Riveiro, is the fact that Orlando Pirates didn't bring one of the 'Plumbers' from overseas to coach the club, but a quality coach.

"I think they’ve bridged some gaps there on foreign coaches coming into the country as well, it’s not just adding numbers, but adding quality to the league."

Brakkies, as Truter is also known, deserves sweet praises of his own.

He managed to lift Sekhukhune from the relegation zone into a 7th place finish in the DStv Premiership.

With Pirates having finished second, therefore qualifying for the CAFCL, It means Sekhukhune, by virtue of reaching the Nedbank Cup final, have qualified for the CAF Confederations Cup. 

I thought ‘are we going to extra-time - Mailula.

                 Image: iDiski Times 

Mamelodi Sundowns forward, Cassius Mailula, says he thought they would go to extra-time after the CAF Champions League semi-final against Wydad Athletic Club ended 2-2.

It took someone reminding him of the away goal rule for the sad reality to sink in for the 21-year-old Mailula, which was followed by heartbreak and a rain of tears.

"Even after the final whistle I thought ‘are we going to extra-time?’ But then someone told me ‘no, it’s away goals’," Mailula told MSW, as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/mailula-explains-tearful-breakdown-after-cafcl-exit/

"That’s why I was so, so emotional because I believed that if we’re going to extra-time, I thought they didn’t have a chance. But that’s what happened."

Mailula says winning the CAFCL title has been his goal since 2016.

He says it has always been his dream to see himself lifting the trophy alongside his idol, Themba Zwane.

ALSO READ: Kermit Erasmus on Ratomo: http://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/hes-such-great-talent-erasmus-on-ratomo.html

"I knew from day 1 that this is what I want, the dream that I always wanted. [Winning CAFCL] is something that I wanted to achieve.

"I would’ve actually loved to be in the final and win it in my first season with the first team, and actually to lift the trophy with Themba Zwane – Mshishi, because it’s one of the things that I said in 2016, it’s something I want to do one day."

While his dream took a heartbreaking knock, Mailula says it is not over. He will take the experiences learned from the competition and move on.

"But I don’t think it’s over. I think I’ve learnt a lot in this competition. It’s one of those days in football where you have to experience such things and to learn."

He's such a great talent - Erasmus on Ratomo.

Orlando Pirates youngster, Relebohile Ratomo, is one of the shining lights in South African football, alongside the likes of Mduduzi Shabalala of Kaizer Chiefs, and Siyabonga Mabena of Mamelodi Sundowns.

While Shabalala was handed his Chiefs senior debut a bit earlier, Ratomo had to wait longer for his chance.

But when it came, he grabbed it with both hands.

Ratomo made his DStv Premiership debut for Pirates in their draw against Royal AM, but it was in their final game of the season, a 4-0 win over AmaZulu where the 18-year-old formally introduced himself to Bucs fans by scoring a goal.

Pirates forward, Kermit Erasmus, revealed to iDiski Times what he told the Ratomo to calm his nerves.

“You know when he came in he was sitting next to me in the changing room and he looked a little bit nervous,” Erasmus told iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/dstv-premiership/erasmus-reveals-his-advice-to-bucs-talent/

“And all I told him was to never forget that he’s got the ability to play as long as he was willing to make the hard yards for the team, the ability will come out on its own. It’s not to be fearful of the occasion, just play with freedom.

“It’s easier said than done but, you know, I think when you hear from somebody who’s been part of the team or been in the game, it comes across a bit different."

ALSO READ: Roberto De Zerbi on Man City draw: http://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/we-deserved-result-de-zerbi-on-man-city.html

Erasmus says Ratomo is a great talent who needs to keep his feet on the ground to have a flourishing career.

“You could see in the game, he had so much fun. He’s such a great talent, I just hope that he has a great career and he keeps his feet on the ground.”

With experienced players like Erasmus around him, Ratomo is in good hands. 

We deserved the result - De Zerbi on Man City draw.

Brighton & Hove Albion needed all but a point to make sure of their Europa League spot, and they pushed Manchester City to the limit to earn it with an exciting 1-1 draw at the Amex on Wednesday evening.

Julio Enciso scored a stunning equalizer from long range in the 38th minute to cancel Phil Foden's earlier strike, earning Brighton a well deserved result.

Brighton boss, Roberto De Zerbi, says City didn't do them any favors, they deserved their point, in what he says was one of the best games of the season.

"We didn’t receive a gift of the one point, we deserved the result. I am really proud, because I think this one of the best games of the season. It was very tough, but we played with incredible quality and courage," De Zerbi said after the match as quoted by brightonandhovealbion.com.

"The improvement of the players has been fantastic and for me it’s very satisfying. We had to respect ourselves, the club and our fans and show the courage and that we believe in ourselves to win against the best team in the world. I think we did that."

When he took over the reigns at Brighton, De Zerbi says qualifying for Europe was not in his mind.

Learning about his players and the English Premier League was his main focus.

ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola on the Brighton draw: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/brighton-they-destroy-other-opponents.html?m=1

But with just a game left in their season, Brighton have achieved the seemingly impossible under the Italian, qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history, while playing some brilliant football.

 "At the beginning I didn’t put my focus on the target of the Europa League. I had to analyse the players, learn about the Premier League and to understand the new country," he added.

"But step by step I started to think about our potential and in February it was clear in my head that we could fight for a big target."

Brighton, they destroy the other opponents - Guardiola.

       Image: Fabrizio Romano Facebook

Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday evening at the Falmer Stadium.

Phil Foden put the English Premier League champions ahead in the 25th minute, before Julio Enciso equalized for Brighton with a stunner in the 38th minute.

In a game where the only stat that went City's way is ball possession, which they had 61% of, Brighton, who showed City absolutely no respect, dominated the other aspects; with 20 goal attempts to City's 13, and seven shots on target, while City had four.

Man City boss, Pep Guardiola, says Brighton destroys the other opponents with the type of football they play, and he is happy with how his side responded to their threat, by not dropping the momentum they have been keeping in the past few weeks.

"Brighton, they destroy the other opponents they have been playing. They did it in certain moments, especially the last 10 or 15 minutes, we struggled but we did really well," Guardiola told Sky Sports after the game.

"We cannot drop momentum. I didn't see it, against Chelsea I didn't see it today. During the week we have to rest, recover mentally. It's been demanding for the past six months playing Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and chasing Arsenal. The training now is just relaxed."

ALSO READ: Hunt on why SA football needs a reboot: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/hunt-has-spoken-sa-football-needs-reboot.html?m=1

Guardiola says the game was exceptional, especially considering the fact that they played 48 hours after drinking all the alcohol in Manchester.

"Exceptional game. Congratulations to Brighton for their deserved qualification to the Europa League.

"The game we played, 48 hours after we drank all the alcohol in Manchester, 48 hours later we behaved and we showed why we were the champions against that team.

"We showed what we have done with and without the ball. I didn't see one drop in our intensity and idea. They had chances, we had chances, we scored a goal, they scored a goal.

"Both teams want the ball, both teams want to press. The keepers are fundamental in this game. The quality they have, they are an exceptional team."

Hunt has spoken, SA football needs a reboot.

SuperSport United coach, Gavin Hunt is one of the few coaching 'elders' remaining and still very much involved in South African football amongst an influx of new, younger generation of coaches, and when an elder speaks, we need to listen and take notes.

Answering football journalist, Lorenz Kohler's question about most Premier Soccer League's teams being less than 10 years old, Hunt said South African football needs a serious reboot.

Hunt believes PSL teams have bloated squads and they need to cut down on the number of players they have on their books.

But one important issue that hunt touched on, is the issue of PSL clubs selling their franchises like hot fat cakes on a busy street in the morning.

One has to look at one club that is a huge part of the South African football heritage, Wits University, whose 99 years of history has been 'erased' in less than three years after they sold their status to recently relegated Marumo Gallants.

Wits is not the only South African football heritage that has literally gone down the drain, Bloemfontein Celtic is another fallen giant, having been purchased by KwaZulu-Natal business woman, Shauwn Mkhize and renamed Royal AM.

According to hunt, if a team's status is purchased, the name should not change, as well as the club's base.

ALSO READ: Erik Ten Hag on Manchester United's ambitions: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/05/we-want-to-compete-with-best-ten-hag.html?m=1

Teams form a huge part of the community they are based in, they become part of the community's soul, one can only look at what Celtic meant to the people of Bloemfontein, and what it did to them when it was sold.

Imagine Mamelodi Sundowns being sold to a businessman from Limpopo, and renamed Limpopo Sundowns, just ponder on that.

Hunt, has touched on some serious issues.

Even clubs themselves need their own internal reboots.

The fact that Mamelodi Sundowns has won the DStv Premiership title says a lot about the declining level of competitiveness in our elite league.

Sundowns winning the league with seven matches to spare this time around, and with a points gap of 16 for two seasons running should lead to the likes of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates doing some serious introspection, and, as Hunt says, do some very necessary reboots. 

We want to compete with the best - Ten Hag.

Manchester United will host Chelsea in a crucial English Premier League encounter on Thursday 25 May at Old Trafford, with the Kick-off at 21:00.

Man United needs just a point to secure a UEFA Champions League spot next season, with two matches remaining.

United boss, Erik Ten Hag, says they want to compete with the best, which means playing in the UCL, and that makes winning against Chelsea on Thursday evening non-negotiable.

"We want to compete with the best and then you have to be in the Champions League. It is simple," Ten Hag told journalists at Carrington earlier today, as quoted by manutd.com.

"First, we have to win the game tomorrow and get the job done. Then it is about the judgement from others. If it's a good performance or a bad performance or a poor performance."

Ten Hag says United are on a journey back to winning trophies, a journey that has been good with one trophy in the bag.

He insists though, that good is not good enough, they can always do better.

"We are in a project and we want to go back and win trophies, [we have] won one trophy and we want to win more trophies and we want to compete with the best. We are still in a journey, but we think we are in the right direction. We can always be better because good is not good enough.''

United will be boosted by the return to fitness of Marcus Rashford, who has been a revelation for them this season.

Rashford missed United's 1-0 win over Bournemouth due to illness.

"It looks like [he will be available], but yesterday he returns in training and he looks quite fit but we have to see today what the outcome is from the training - how did he recover and then we will make our choices," said Ten Hag regarding Rashford's return.